The Empty Room
by Sara K M
Summary: Set during the season 4 CS. With the lack of space at Grantham House, Mary suggests to her mother that someone should use the bed in her father's dressing room. But who should? Complete crack - fic.


The Empty Room

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Downton Abbey.**_

Cora smiled as her daughter Mary, complained about the lack of space at Grantham House right now. It was **so **typical of her girl. Granted, with the whole family and so much of their staff living at their townhouse, it was… cozier than usual. And it would only become tighter when Mother and Harold arrived. Not to mention Tom. But there was no need to obsess over it. They could all handle it and would be home at Downton soon enough.

"Yes, things are going to be a big cramped for a while. You may even have to share a room with Edith," Cora said, hoping such a threat would stop Mary's grumbles.

"I'd rather sleep on the roof than share a room with Edith," Mary murmured on the way upstairs. It seemed as if Cora's threat had silenced Mary's complaints.

But as she reached the top of the stairs, Mary suddenly turned back around. "Mama, there is another room available, and perhaps it's time we use it."

Cora stared at her, mentally searching for Mary's meaning. She'd taken great care to use all the space they had in assigning rooms, especially with the extra guests. How could she have missed something?

Mary sighed and dropped her firebomb. "There is a perfectly good bed in Papa's dressing room."

Cora's eyes widened as she realized the implications of that. "Mary, you must understand. It's not that simple."

Mary shook her head. "Mama, Papa never uses that bed. You know it, I know it, and everyone in the house knows it. And if you are considering me sharing a room with _Edith_, then it's time for drastic measures."

Perhaps she had a point. Would it be easier for Mary to be next door to her and Robert than for her daughters to attack each other with words all night? "Very well, Mary, but you'll have to speak to your Papa before you move in there."

Mary's brown eyes grew large. "No, Mama. I didn't mean _I _should sleep there. I'd rather not be that close to you and Papa, especially with the way you act around each other after a formal evening." Cora grinned a little, thinking of how unbelievably handsome Robert looked all dressed up, especially in his formal uniform. "But, find someone sleep there Mama. Please. I mean it. The house is far too crowded, and we should use all the beds and all the rooms."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Cora discussed the plan with Robert and he finally agreed to consider it. But who could they ask?

"Harold will be here tomorrow and he's family," Cora said, looking at Robert out of the corner of her eye. She knew he wasn't terribly fond of her brother.

Robert shook his head. "Absolutely not! I know he's your brother, and I did my best to keep him out of jail, but I can't say I trust him with all my personal things."

Cora chuckled and reached to squeeze his hand. "Understandable. I don't know if I'd trust him with mine, either. Luckily, I took everything I wanted with me when I moved here. What about Carson? You trust him, don't you?"

Robert sighed. "Naturally, but Carson would never agree. He's too proper. You know how he is about keeping everyone upstairs separate from everyone downstairs. And even if he were to agree out of obligation, he'd probably feel so uncomfortable, he'd get less sleep than I do in that bed. I can't do that to him."

"No, you can't," Cora said, looking into his deep blue eyes as she agreed. It was so sweet how much he cared about their servants.

"If he weren't married, I'd offer it to Bates," Robert said thoughtfully. "It might make his job easier if he slept there, anyway. But Bates doesn't want to sleep without his wife any more than I do."

A delightful tingle spread through her body at that statement and she patted his shoulder with hers. It meant so much to her that he still wished to spend all his nights with his wife after more than thirty years of marriage.

"There's always Mama, but I don't know if I want to ask her," Robert continued.

A shiver, quite different than the delightful tingle that had just passed, zapped through Cora. There was no way she could have her mother – in – law next door to where she and Robert slept. "No, Robert. Don't ask her. Even if she complains about the lack of space. She can stay with Rosmund if need be. But not that room."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

They tried asking Edith, but she had the same reaction Mary did. "I don't need to be that close to the two of you," she said with a sigh. She always seemed preoccupied lately. Cora supposed Edith was still missing her editor, who had moved to Germany for some reason. Cora had no idea how to help her, or even if Edith would accept her help.

"What about offering it to Rose?" Robert suggested after Edith had said no. "I know she can be a bit rebellious, but I trust her as much as our girls."

Cora loved the way he'd taken Rose into his heart just as much as their own daughters but clearly, he still didn't know very much about girls if he thought that was a good idea. "Darling, this is Rose's coming out, and although she may not seem like it, I think she's a little nervous. She needs the extra space more than anyone to make certain she looks exactly as she should."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"What about Tom? He'll be here tomorrow afternoon, and he's family now." said Cora, still trying to find someone for the dressing room. Mary had been right; it was rather cramped in the house.

Robert's eyebrows went up, as if he didn't understand why she would ask such a thing.

Cora sighed. She thought he had been passed this by now. The man was family; he had married their daughter and was the father to their sweet little granddaughter. "Robert. I mean it. I think we should ask Tom about the room. And you can't tell me you don't trust him if you let him take care of Isis."

"But Cora," his face turned into a pout like a little boy. "You don't understand."

Cora sighed and reminded herself to speak gently when he got like this. "Yes, I understand this is a big change for you, but the truth is, you've already accepted Tom, Robert. Just ask."

OOOOOOOOOOO

So they did. But to Cora's surprise and Robert's relief, Tom said no. "I appreciate the offer, Lord Grantham, but I'm fine in the room I already have."

Robert sighed and chuckled. "Now we know why this was never pursued in that episode."

Cora grinned and laughed along with him. "I suppose your right."

**Every time I see this episode and hear them complaining about lack of space, I think "but there's a perfectly good empty room/bed in that house!" But thinking about it more thoroughly, I don't think there is anyone that Robert and Cora would be willing to offer it to and would be willing to accept it. All those discussions, however, are almost as funny as the possiblity of using the room.**


End file.
